NWC: THREE HATEFUL WORDS, Kingsbury Hall, through Saturday (581-7100), running time: 90 minutes (no intermission)

Following an opening chant repeating the three provocative words indicated by the title — well-known words which have long been used to denigrate African-Americans, Hispanics and Asians — Miles Gregley, Rafael Agustin and Allan Axibal turned to outrageous comedy as a way to defuse the ugly hatred usually associated with the terms.

There were times when the comedy was stretched to make a point or two, but overall, the three talented guys were able to get one big point across — that regardless of the ethnic differences, we are all part of just one race. The human race. And that getting along just makes more sense than fighting each other.

OK, maybe using the questionable phrases over and over again doesn't desensitize them, but the performers did a great job in debunking a lot of old ethnic cliches.

They touched on the awkwardness of growing up Asian, black and Hispanic in one of America's great melting pots — Los Angeles. There were some poignant moments when each of them reflected on when they first realized who they were — and that they were not Caucasian.

Axibal, a native Filipino, learned about racial hatred when he was just 8 or 9.

"I was not born yesterday — and I was not born on the 4th of July," he said.

Gregley first discovered the infamous "N" word while reading "Huckleberry Finn" in class when he was 13. It suddenly hit him that "that word was me."

Agustin, growing up, wanted to be Ronald Reagan. Then he and his family moved from Ecuador to the United States, "and we stopped in San Diego, only 18 inches from the Mexican border."

"How can I be labeled a 'wetback' when I can't even swim?" Agustin asked.

Sensitivity rating: An abundance of racial slurs, along with some fairly graphic sexual dialogue.

• NWC will also be playing at three other Utah venues. Dates and venues are: 7:30 p.m. Saturday, Kingsbury Hall (581-7100); Nov. 6, 7:30 p.m., Kent Concert Hall, Utah State University, Logan (435-797-0305), Nov. 7-8, Peery's Egyptian Theater, Ogden (626-6349), and Nov. 17, 7:30 p.m., Eccles Center, Park City (435-655-3114)

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E-mail: ivan@desnews.com